More Money May Be Available To Prevent Wildfires

Last year’s wildfire season in Arizona will always be remembered because of the tragic deaths of the Granite Mountain Hotshots as they attempted to fight the Yarnell Hill Fire.

But, from the standpoint of how much land was lost and how many acres were burned, 2013 was not as harsh as we have gotten used to. Our drier-than-usual January and February, though, has many observers concerned about what 2014 will be like.

Late last month, the Obama Adminstration revealed a proposal that would change how fighting severe wildfires is paid for, theoretically leaving more money available to prevent fires. Diane Vosick, director of policy and partnerships at Northern Arizona University's Ecological Restoration Institute, gave an Arizona perspective.

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